Khaberni - The Swiss Army announced on Friday that it intends to acquire a defensive system against "small drones" in the context of reports of airspace breaches by several European countries, accusing Russia of being behind these incidents.
In this context, European leaders aim to build a "wall" against drones to protect their airspace.
Switzerland, known for its policy of military neutrality, is not a member of the European Union or NATO but is now seeking to protect itself from drones as soon as possible.
The Swiss Army stated in a Friday release that "it is necessary to take effective action against small enemy drones," expressing hope to deploy the defense system "in the near future".
Army spokeswoman Delphine Schaub-Alman stated, "The army currently has no means of protection or defense against small-sized drones."
After conducting a test this summer, the army issued a request for proposals.
The statement added that "the positive results of this test, along with the proliferation of drones, have prompted the army to task the Federal Office of Armaments, armasuisse, to acquire this system as a priority and to strengthen the protection of forces, infrastructure, and equipment."
European Union countries suspect Russia is behind incidents of flying over sensitive sites, which have intensified in recent days.
Switzerland has not been spared from these incidents.
Schaub-Alman stated, "This year, the Swiss Army has repeatedly spotted small drones over military land or near military maneuvers outside training areas."
She added, "We have seen an increase in such incidents since last year," noting that for operational reasons, the army does not announce their number, details, or measures to identify the pilots.
